The cool air in the corridor rushed over her, slightly dispersing the burning heat on Aphrodite’s cheeks, but it couldn’t calm the wild pounding of her heart, which felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.
Damn it… damn it… damn it!
Silently screaming in her mind, she stumbled forward along the soft carpeted corridor.
The cold, silky carpet fibers brushed against the bare soles of her feet, but she didn’t care at all.
All she wanted was to get as far away from that “crime scene” as possible!
However, after just a few steps, her foot suddenly slipped!
“Uwa!” she gasped softly, almost falling, but she managed to catch herself on the nearby wall.
Barefoot, her foot slid on the carpet, and her toes curled instinctively, hooking onto the soft threads.
Looking down, she saw the culprit was the fluffy long tail attached to the back of her pajamas! She’d rushed off so hastily that the tail had been dragged on the floor, and she’d stepped on it herself!
“Damn tail!” Aphrodite wanted to stomp in frustration but was utterly helpless.
She could only awkwardly bend down, grab the tail with one hand, and keep running forward.
At the same time, the suffocating sensation and visual shock from when she had just woken up replayed uncontrollably in her mind, making her cheeks flush again.
No matter what, she absolutely couldn’t sleep with her again anymore! Absolutely not! This time was enough!
Next time, no matter how much she pretended to be pitiful, she definitely couldn’t soften her heart! Yes! Absolutely not!
Holding her tail, Aphrodite ran down the quiet, somewhat empty corridor of the manor like a headless fly, only wanting to find a place to wash up as soon as possible, to douse the burning heat on her face and the chaotic images in her mind with cold water.
After turning a few corners, the surroundings were so silent that only her slightly hurried breathing and the faint rustle of her bare feet against the carpet could be heard.
Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks.
Wait a minute…
Aphrodite blinked, and the blush on her face gradually faded into a look of confusion.
Where was the washroom again?
This manor… Although she was nominally the mistress here, the time she had actually spent inside was so few that most of her memories still belonged to the Bachros era, and the layout back then seemed… different from now? Plus, the amnesia didn’t help…
Standing still, she looked around at the nearly identical corridors and doors. A feeling of embarrassment from being lost slowly rose, dulling some of her shame.
Last night when looking for Bella, she had almost checked every room. If it weren’t for Bella’s singing guiding her afterward, Aphrodite might have ended up opening every single door in the manor.
Even going to the bathroom and bedroom had always been Bella leading the way.
“Maybe… it’s this way?” Aphrodite hesitated, looking toward the left corridor decorated with landscape paintings. Holding her tail, she barefoot carefully took a few steps, peeked in, but the place felt unfamiliar, so she retreated.
“No, no… maybe that way?” Then she looked to the right corridor where a vase was placed but still felt something was off.
“Surely… it can’t be back the way I came?” She instinctively glanced behind and shivered, shaking her head hard.
“No, no! I definitely can’t go back now!”
Try every room? That thought was immediately rejected. That would be such a waste of time.
Just as Aphrodite stood in the middle of the corridor, holding her tail and barefoot, pondering…
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, clear and rhythmic knocking came from the manor’s front door.
At this hour… who could it be?
That was the first thought in Aphrodite’s mind.
Could it be another troublesome person coming to arrange something she absolutely had to go to?
That was the second thought.
The third thought immediately followed…
If someone saw her like this, how would Aphrodite ever face anyone?
Bang, bang, bang.
Perhaps realizing there was no response inside the manor, the knocking outside grew louder and heavier than before.
“Hello, is anyone there?” A polite yet firm young male voice came through the door.
Hello, no one is here, please go away.
Aphrodite wanted to answer like that, but if she really did, wouldn’t that just be the classic “hiding something” move?
She, Aphrodite, was not that stupid.
“Milady, why are you standing here?” A familiar soft female voice with a hint of confusion whispered like a ghost behind Aphrodite.
“Bella?!!”
Startled, Aphrodite shuddered all over, almost jumping up! She spun around sharply and saw Bella standing not far behind her.
Bella had already changed into her usual neat head maid dress. Her deep purple hair was meticulously tied at the back of her head, and her face carried a gentle but slightly distant smile, as if completely forgetting what had just happened in the bedroom.
Her eyes quickly scanned Aphrodite—bare feet, the fluffy tail in her hand, and the conspicuous cat-ear pajamas. A faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered in her eyes, but her outward demeanor remained perfectly professional.
“The morning air is a bit cool. Standing like this, you might catch a chill,” Bella said gently, then very naturally took a pair of soft indoor slippers from the wall cabinet in the adjacent corridor. She bent down and placed them softly at Aphrodite’s feet.
“Please put these on first.”
At that moment, the knocking at the door sounded again, seemingly more urgent.
Bella frowned slightly but then gave Aphrodite a reassuring smile. “It seems there is a visitor. Please wait here. I will handle it.”
Aphrodite looked at the slippers by her feet, then at Bella’s retreating figure, and finally awkwardly slipped on the slippers before hiding in a place out of sight from the front door.
Bella opened the door. Standing outside was a young man dressed in formal Messenger attire, looking very energetic.
“Good day, madam,” the Messenger greeted politely with a bow. “Is Lady Aphrodite at home? I have come under Lady Aelia’s orders to deliver an important invitation.”
“Aelia?” Aphrodite perked up, listening carefully from behind.
What does this guy want with me? Could it really be, as she feared, another unavoidable assignment?
Bella maintained a proper smile and slightly turned to block the Messenger’s view inside the manor. “Good day. Milady is currently handling urgent matters and cannot receive guests. Please leave the invitation with me.”
The Messenger hesitated briefly but still took out an exquisitely decorated envelope from his chest pocket, sealed with the Von Klein Family crest.
“This is an invitation to a Feast hosted specially by Lady Aelia to thank Lady Aphrodite for her recent assistance in resolving the Beast Tide crisis. Please be sure to deliver it to her,” he added respectfully.
Bella accepted the invitation and nodded. “I will deliver it to milady. Thank you for your efforts.”
“You’re welcome.” The Messenger bowed again and then turned to leave.
Bella closed the door, holding the exquisite invitation, and turned toward Aphrodite.
Seeing the invitation in Bella’s hand, Aphrodite felt rather troubled.
After all, the thing she hated most was Feasts!